Keep and repurpose used motor oil?

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Apr 29, 2021
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Curious if anyone keeps and re-purposes old motor oils? I'm aware that these might have a acidic content so the may not be ideal as lubricants. But then again, they may have some purposes, especially relatively lightly used motor oils changed only on 6 or 1 year intervals if you have a vehicle you maintain but rarely drive.

I'm thinking it's useful as parts soak tank, for old hinges and whatnot. Also good to help get fires started, especially damp wood such as camping or cookouts, or back yard fire pit, etc.

I've read that folks use old motor oil to coat ground contact or bottoms of fence posts to prevent rot or bugs, or used as an alternative to stain wood.

What's the consensus?
 
I use old motor oil for oiling the foam air filters on my motorcycles. Too bad it all drips down into the bottom of the airboxes and makes a mess all over the place. But at least I know the filters are well oiled.
I'm just kidding. I don't re-use my old motor oil, I recycle it at the local parts store.
I would not use it for starting campfires, what a nasty black smoke that would make. And I've never heard of used motor oil for staining wood, it has combustion byproducts and other nasty chemicals. Anyway I am curious what people will say here.
 
Burning it is a bad idea. (breathing the fumes) the environment, especially synthetic oil. I considered(momentarily) running used synthetic oil through a bypass filter and adding an additive or a fresh quart into the mix and using it again.
 
Curious if anyone keeps and re-purposes old motor oils? I'm aware that these might have a acidic content so the may not be ideal as lubricants. But then again, they may have some purposes, especially relatively lightly used motor oils changed only on 6 or 1 year intervals if you have a vehicle you maintain but rarely drive.

I'm thinking it's useful as parts soak tank, for old hinges and whatnot. Also good to help get fires started, especially damp wood such as camping or cookouts, or back yard fire pit, etc.

I've read that folks use old motor oil to coat ground contact or bottoms of fence posts to prevent rot or bugs, or used as an alternative to stain wood.

What's the consensus?
It used to be common in my locale years ago to put on dogs that had mange. It seemed to work pretty well as I recall. As I understand it is now known that skin contact with used motor oil can contribute to certain cancer risks. I'm guessing this may apply to dogs as well.
 
I have a filter and funnel set up and run it in my furnace. I generate a fair amount used oil, almost 14 gals a year, and this is the most convenient solution. Everything but the airplane; its' used oil has a LOT of lead in it and I do like my neighbors:)
 
I use it to treat the desk on my flat bed trailer. i cut it 25% with thinner.
i also use it for the fence posts. put a few gallons in the 5 gal bucket let post soak for a week or so. it'll wick up the oil. sure is better then the pressure treated ones.
helps with the horses cribbing.
Heck i even still have a few 5's of creosote, being i can't get that anymore the used oil works great.
used to use a smudge pot. but the last one i had grew legs and ran off. i need to order another.
 
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You could always do the ultimate recycle
 
About the only use I have for it anymore is bar oil for chainsaws. I know it's not ideal for the job but I can't be bothered to go and buy ANOTHER kind of oil for the chainsaw I use five times a year.

I've seen places that cut it with off road diesel and spray it on board or rail fences from a tank mounted in the back of a truck/Gator/etc. It's not as long lasting as actual stain and probably only marginally better than nothing.
 
You could install a James Bond type oil slick dispenser from your getaway car to thwart pursuit!

I think MythBusters debunked this one though...
 
Many years ago I lubed my dirt bike chain by dipping it in a used oil jerry can. I read a test where plain motor oil beat expensive chain lubes. it was kind of messy.
 
View attachment 57207You could always do the ultimate recycle
From 1963? Yea I'm sure pollution laws haven't chaged at all since then. Any one have some leaded fuel or abestos brake pads I can use? Love canal or Lake Erie anyone. Come on dude suggesting that dumping toxic chemicals is just irresponsible. Take used auto fluids to the right places, give a hoot don't pollute remember that from '63?
 
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